Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025.
Texas voters approve all 17 proposed constitutional amendments
From items addressing property and estate taxes, to statements emphasizing conservative Republican priorities and more, Texas voters approved the entire slate of proposed amendments to the state constitution last night.
The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey and Lucio Vasquez joins the show with a recap.
Houston voters finally get a chance to elect a new representative
Eight months after his death in office, Houston voters finally got the chance to elect Sylvester Turner’s replacement in the House of Representatives – but with over a dozen candidates in the race, voters now face a runoff between the two top contenders, Christian Menefee and Amanda Edwards.
Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider joins the show with the latest.
Spending issues, public health among issues local voters decided Election Day
Plenty more issues faced Texas voters yesterday, including many issues on local ballots. With a recap of notable votes and propositions put to local voters, we’ll hear from Texas Public Radio’s Joey Palacios, The Texas Newsroom’s Rachel Osier Lindley and KUT News’ Andrew Weber in Austin.
Trump administration sets record-low refugee cap
The U.S. will admit just 7,500 refugees in 2026 – the lowest number since the modern resettlement program began. The order also names white Afrikaners from South Africa as a priority group, an unusual move opponents see steeped in racism.
Daniel Braaten, associate professor of political science at Texas A&M University-San Antonio, joins Texas Standard with more.
Hyperreal Film Club finds a home – and a community
After years of staging pop-up movie screenings, Austin’s Hyperreal Film Club now has a permanent theater on the city’s east side. A year in, the project is about more than film – it’s about building a creative community.
Freelance reporter Ella Kopeikin reports from Austin.
W.F. Strong revisits a Thanksgiving favorite
Storyteller W.F. Strong shares a listener favorite: “Three Red Marbles,” a reflection on kindness and generosity that’s perfect for the Thanksgiving season.
W.F. Strong is a professor of culture and communication at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and a regular Texas Standard commentator.
El Paso woman launches grocery gift card drive amid SNAP crisis
As SNAP benefits remain in limbo during the government shutdown, an El Paso community member has teamed up with Food City grocery stores to help fill the gap. Her effort supports both struggling families and local grocers.
Organizer Nicole Roldan joins Texas Standard with the story.
